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Box Score 2 WAIPIO, Hawai'i – A whirlwind four game dates in four days concluded on Thursday for the Chaminade University softball team as the Silverswords earned a split against Notre Dame de Namur in a Pacific West Conference doubleheader at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Chaminade lost the first game, 7-2, when the Argonauts plated seven runs in the sixth inning, but rebounded with a 2-0 win in the second behind a masterful pitching performance from
Kaitlyn Watanabe and a clutch two-out hit from freshman
Nicole Erichsen.
The Silverswords (4-4 overall and PacWest) went 2-4 during the week, not counting the exhibition wins Tuesday against Spokane Falls Community College.
In Game 1, the 'Swords broke a scoreless deadlock in the third as
Elia Lizarraga opened the inning with an infield single, then advanced to second on an
Ashley Phelps sacrifice bunt.
Samantha Ford, who came into the game as the PacWest's leading batter with a .600 average, then powered a ground-rule double over the head of the left fielder, allowing Lizarraga to score the game's first run.
The Argos (9-13, 3-6) came up big in the sixth as Breana Young's single brought home two runs as NDNU took a 2-1 lead. Chaminade starter
Brett Aspel then struck out Akasha Dykes for the second out, but the trouble continued as three consecutive hits brought home three more runs in the inning. Aspel would be replaced by
Marisella Rodriguez, but she was rudely greeted by Monica Volz, who powered a 2-run blast over the left field fence, making it 7-1.
The 'Swords, however, made things interesting in the bottom half of the frame.
Aja Keyes led off the inning with a solo homer to left center, her first of the season.
Ciana Russ followed with a walk, then
Shannan Hokama's bunt single put two on with no out. Russ was then forced out at third on
Kristiann Endow's chopper to shortstop, but the next batter,
Jenn Betian, was plunked, loading the bases with one out. Argos' hurler Jenna Bassler bore down, with a strikeout for the second out. Lizarraga then hit a screaming liner toward the hole, but second baseman Lindsay Handy made an outstretched catch, saving a run and ending the threat.
Bassler earned the complete game win, scattering six hits and with 11 strikeouts, increased her conference-leading strikeout total to 64. Aspel took the loss to fall to 2-3.
Game 2 was essentially a pitcher's dual between Watanabe and Shelby Reali. The game would be decided in the Silverswords' fourth, thanks to some help from the Argos' defense.
Keyes got on board on with a one-out walk. Russ then hit a pop-up to shallow left field, but shortstop Krystine Ball dropped the routine fly ball. Keyes, who was retreating back to first then sprinted to second, but Ball threw wide of the bag, allowing Keyes to be safe at second while Russ was at first. Two batters later, Erichsen would break up Reali's no-hit bid, working the count full, then laced a two-out double into right center, allowing both Keyes and Russ to score, making it 2-0.
In the top of the seventh, Ball led off the inning, reaching on a throwing error that went into foul territory in right field. Ball rounded first, trying to get to second, but right fielder Ford, who was backing up on the play, played the carom off the fence perfectly, and threw a strike to Erichsen at second base, preventing the lead-off batter from getting on board. Watanabe then retired the Argos to preserve the win.
Watanabe out-dueled Reali, who's only hit allowed was Erichsen's two-run double. The junior from Wailuku, Maui, allowed four hits – only one after the fourth inning – and didn't allow a runner to get to third. She improved to 2-0 on the season while Reali fell to 3-8.
The 'Swords will get the weekend off then return to CORP Field on Tuesday when they step out of conference action and face Upper Iowa University from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, starting at 4:30 p.m. Live audio of both games will be carried on goswords.com.
